


Goodbye

by luckinshadow



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Heartbreaking, M/M, Sad, Tearjerker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-26 00:44:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10775937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luckinshadow/pseuds/luckinshadow
Summary: Levi began to feel his throat tighten up as he choked back the emotions that were starting to bubble their way to the surface. With a shaky sigh, Levi leaned in and kissed Erwin’s forehead before taking the blond’s Survey Corps cloak and covering the body. He then turned and began making his way to the door.“Well, this is nice. Although, you could have said a little more of a goodbye than that but then again, you never really were much for the sentimental stuff. I mean honestly, how long did it take to get you to even say that you loved me...aloud?”





	Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> So, with Season 2 of the anime out and available, providing those of us with broken hearts the chance to see Erwin alive and well again (at least until the anime catches up with the manga), I've been feeling for awhile now the need to write out the one thing that I couldn't bring myself to write on the fateful day of Erwin's passing. So here it is, my rendition of what happened after Levi took Erwin's body to the little room where we see him all neatly laid to rest in chapter 85 of the manga. I apologize if this makes you cry. I wasn't exactly dry eyed while writing it.

The room was decently lit by the light of the midday sun and aside from the inch thick layer of dust everywhere, it had managed to remain relatively untouched by the chaos that had taken place around the area. With a heavy sigh, Levi carefully set the body on the floor in the hallway and went off to find the items he would need to make this abandoned room into the tomb of his fallen commander, friend… 

It didn’t take long before Levi had everything clean and set perfectly. He then carefully hoisted Erwin’s lifeless body out of the floor and onto the bed. Levi had managed to find a well earlier that had been undamaged and debris free. With a clean cloth he found in the nearby closet, he then proceeded to wipe clean Erwin’s body. 

First, Levi cleaned and tightly bandaged up the now bloodless wound in Erwin’s side. Once that was taken care of, Levi moved on to wiping down the blond’s hand and face. Finally, Levi picked up a comb he had found in the draw of the little table that sat next to the bed and fixed Erwin’s hair until it was as it always was… “Perfect.” Levi whispered softly to himself. 

He then stopped and stared at Erwin for a moment. Tiny fingers reaching out on their own to touch the soft cold lips that remembered the warmth and life that were once in them, but then they stopped just short as Levi noticed he was still covered in the disgusting blood of all the titans he killed prior to this moment. His hand trembled slightly as he stared at it. “Disgusting.” He grumbled to himself before moving to the bucket of water to wash his hands and face, but after looking into the bucket and seeing the bright red water, Levi sighed to himself, picked up the bucket and dumped it out the window.

Finally, after getting fresh water and scrubbing himself clean, Levi returned to the room and just stood in the doorway a moment. As he stood there, time seemed to have stopped in that moment as he just stared. After what felt like an hour but was actually more like a minute, Levi stepped closer to the bed and just stared at the lifeless face of the man he respected… and loved. 

Levi began to feel his throat tighten up as he choked back the emotions that were starting to bubble their way to the surface. With a shaky sigh, Levi leaned in and kissed Erwin’s forehead before taking the blond’s Survey Corps cloak and covering the body. He then turned and began making his way to the door.

“Well, this is nice. Although, you could have said a little more of a goodbye than that but then again, you never really were much for the sentimental stuff. I mean honestly, how long did it take to get you to even say that you loved me...aloud?”

Levi just stood there, frozen, not saying a word.

Erwin chuckled softly. “Uh oh. You’ve finally cracked. You’re hearing the voice of a dead guy.” He teased before pushing off the table he had been leaning against. He then wrapped his arms tightly around Levi from behind and held the smaller now trembling man close to his chest with a gentle sigh. “You know, it’s ok to let it all out. There’s no one here but us. Don’t let yourself turn completely to stone just yet.”

Levi swallowed hard the ever growing lump in his throat. “I’m sorry…” He finally whispered as a tear slid down his cheek. “I…” He attempted to speak again but the lump in his throat had managed to grow so large that he couldn’t utter a syllable. Instead, his whole body shook as the one tear that had escaped his eye had began to turn into many. For the first time in over thirty years, Levi was crying. 

Erwin just smiled warmly as he pulled back a little, hands on Levi’s shoulders as he slowly turned the smaller man around to face him and wrapped his warm, loving arms around Levi, holding him close as the smaller man sobbed into Erwin’s chest. Erwin just stroked Levi’s hair as he held him close. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”

“BULLSHIT!” Levi screamed. “I could have saved you! I had it right there in my hand and I saved Armin instead!”

“I don’t blame you for not bringing me back you know. I mean, I am the one that pulled my arm away when you tried.”

“Why!”

“You know why. It’s the reason that you decided to save Armin. No one knows my heart the way you do.” Erwin kissed the top of Levi’s head before lifting the smaller man’s chin, forcing Levi to look up at him. “It was my time. You saw what this job, this quest was doing to me. You saw and knew things that no other person in the world ever noticed. It’s the luck of the draw for those of us that bare the burden of those Wings of Freedom. Living our lives day by day until we finally die young in a blaze of glory.” He smirked a little at that last line.

Levi just narrowed his eyes and jabbed the taller man in the ribs. “Idiot.” He grumbled with a tiny smirk in his voice. He then wiped his face clean before adding, “The fuck are you doing here anyway. Aren’t you supposed to be ‘in a better place’ as they say or something?”

Erwin “Oof”-ed at the jab before chuckling softly. “Well, maybe I’m here to haunt and sexually harass you when you sleep.” He smirked as his eyes softened, finger still hooked under Levi’s chin. “Honestly, I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye. That would just be poor manners.” Smirk still curling his lips, Erwin ran his thumb gently over Levi’s soft lips. “I sure am going to miss these.” He sighed quietly before leaning in to kiss Levi. The kiss was deep and long, tongues mingling together for the last time. It felt as if time around them had stopped completely, that this moment would last forever. 

After that moment had passed, Erwin slowly and reluctantly pulled away with a heavy sigh, his eyes still closed, his forehead resting gently against Levi’s. “Thank you… for everything.” He whispered before tenderly kissing each of Levi’s eyelids. “I will always be with you. I love you Levi.” He whispered again before kissing quivering lips, pulling away and disappearing into the sunlight.

“I love you too.” Levi managed just as the apparition vanished. He was alone again. Erwin’s body still on the bed, quiet and still. “Goodbye, Erwin.” He said aloud as he then stood to attention and saluted his fallen Commander before turning on his heels and walking out, shutting the door behind him.

~Fin~


End file.
